Never-ending plight in Odisha: Old-age pensioner walks 3km to collect pension but returns empty-handed 

It seems there is no end to the plight of old-age pensioners in Odisha. Days after a divyang elderly woman was seen crawling on the road to reach the local panchayat office in Keonjhar district to avail her old-age pension, another incident of an elderly woman walking down the street to collect her pension has raised questions over the effectiveness of old-age pension distribution system in the State. 

The incident has been reported from Goudaguda village under Laxmipur block in Koraput district.

Braving torrential rains, one Sita Dami (65) of Goudaguda village in the district was seen walking down the street to reach a bank which is three kilometers away from her home to collect her old-age pension. And, this is a regular affair for Dami.

Drenched in rain and wading through potholes, Dami somehow managed to reach the bank. But, all her efforts went in vain after she had to return home empty-handed as she was denied pension. 

“I went to the bank to get my old-age pension. But, I was denied,” an upset Dami said.

After the matter was brought to the notice of Laxmipur Block Development Officer Gureswara Bhoi, he said necessary steps would be taken to provide the pension to the elderly woman at her doorstep.

“I have had a word with the local sarpanch in this regard. We will take necessary steps to facilitate the pension to the beneficiary at her doorstep,” Bhoi said.